Middlesex has been awarded a $50,000 grant from the Massachusetts Life Sciences Center. The grant will provide funding to complete a comprehensive planning study to identify the best approach for expanding MCC's biotechnology facilities to support increased enrollment in degree and certificate programs, and workforce development education and training.

"Enrollment in our Biotechnology programs has seen an 87 percent increase since 2005," said Kathleen Sweeney, Dean of Health and STEM (science, technology, engineering and math). "This funding will enable Middlesex to offer the enhanced training our industry contacts have identified. Our goal is to ensure our graduates are well prepared for employment opportunities in the life sciences industry."

MCC's Biotechnology programs hold the Gold Standard awarded by the Massachusetts Life Science Education Consortium. Grant funds will be used to complete an analysis for establishing a new laboratory and clean-room environment.

In addition to addressing new facilities, the Biotechnology programs curriculum will also be evaluated. The programs plan to offer new and expanded courses, many of which were suggested by local industry contacts that frequently hire Middlesex graduates. Nine courses will be developed or revised, including courses in clean-room techniques, clean-room growing techniques, OSHA certification, quality control, quality assurance and validation, and chromatography.

Grant to Help Expand Biotechnology Programs

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Institute and Northeastern, where she discovered her love of teaching. "I enjoyed the interaction with the students," she said.

That fit continues at Middlesex today, where she teaches courses in biology, human genetics and biotechnology. She is also involved with MEOP (Massachusetts Educational Opportunities Program), through which she teaches biotech workshops to Lowell High School students.

Bladon has received honors, such as inclusion in the 1996 and 2000 "Who's Who Among America's Teachers" -- both times nominated

by former students. She was also named International Scientist of the Year in 2002, an award conferred by the Biographical Society of Cambridge, England.

Her goals at MCC include raising funds for a larger lab with a clean room to serve more students in both day and night classes, including the course she created in 2007 instructing students in growing human embryonic stem cells. (MCC was recently awarded a $50,000 planning grant from the Massachusetts Life Sciences Center.)

Bladon's pride in her program is obvious. "We were the pioneers -- the first to start a Biotechnology Program in a community

college. Now, other schools mold their programs like MCC's," she said.

And her commitment to her students remains her priority. "We work with them until they are placed. I couldn't retire -- my work and my students are too important to me," she said.